1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dolls with articulated legs that simulate walking and more particularly to controls for dolls having motor driven articulated legs for simulating walking.
2. Background Art
Dolls with motor driven movable legs for simulating walking are old in the art. Thus, for example, dolls with battery motor driven legs are shown in Ryan U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,916 issued Apr. 5, 1966; Ryan U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,607 issued Aug. 23, 1966 and Ceccon U.S. Pat. No. 3,604,147 issued Sept. 14, 1971, all without any showing of controls for actuating the motor driven legs. Other prior art such as Robbins U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,988 issued Dec. 23, 1969; Gardel et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,609,909 issued Oct. 5, 1971 and Terzian U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,874 issued Nov. 7, 1989 disclose dolls or characters with battery motor driven legs having a switch on the back of the torso. Still other prior art such as Douglas et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,857 issued Nov. 4, 1969; Ryan U.S. Pat. 3,267,608 issued Aug. 23, 1966; Gardel et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,421,258 issued Jan. 14, 1969; Lindsay et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,425,154 issued Feb. 4, 1969 and Ryan U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,960 issued May 27, 1969 show dolls with battery motor driven legs that have both a switch on the back of the torso plus a gravity switch for deenergizing the motor when the doll is not erect. In addition, prior art examples of dolls supported by an accessory for simulated walking are shown in Paluck U.S. Pat. No. 1,684,287 issued Sept. 11, 1928; Schneider U.S. Pat. No. 3,453,772 issued July 8, 1969; Douglas et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,857 issued Nov. 4, 1969; Glass et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,879 issued Mar. 2, 1976; Terzian et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,386,479 issued June 7, 1983; Terzian et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,555 issued Aug. 28, 1984; and Herbstler et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,415 issued Apr. 25, 1989. Terzian U.S. Pat. No. 4,507,098 issued Mar. 26, 1985 discloses a roller skating doll having spring motor driven articulated legs, battery motor versions of which were later manufactured having an on/off switch on the torso. However, there remains a need for a doll with legs that are driven in response to user manipulation of the doll's arm and/or hand to simulate a toddler walking in response to encouragement by a parent holding the toddler's arms.